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108
Vol.15: no.2
Saltus Pass (3,150 feet above sea level) bear no trace of these orange marks. The others bear them in much reduced form.
Some will insist that this slight but rather constant difference warrants subspecific recognition. I disagree and believe that the material being discussed represents the ultimate expression of melanism in the melanistic subspecies browni.
References
Boisduval, J. B. A., 1869. Lepidopteres de la Californie. Ann. soc. ent. Belgigue 12: 44
(original description of nivalis). dos Passos, C. F., 1938. Some new subspecies of North American Lycaenidse (Lepid.).
Canadian ent. 70: 45-46, pi.2, figs. 1-4 (original description of browni).
Fountain Valley School, Colorado Springs, Colo., U. S. A.
OBSERVATIONS ON STRYMON LIPAROPS (LYCjENIDjE)
On re-reading H. K. Clench's article (Lepid. news 9: 105-117; 1955) on the habits of Strymon falacer (Godt.), I was struck by the similarity between the situation he described with respect to the distribution of this species in a field surrounded by woods in Michigan and the circumstances under which I collected S. liparops (Bdv. & Lee.) in a similar field at Point Pelee, Essex Co., Ontario, on July 8th and 9th, 1956. At Mr. Clench's urging, I am recording my observations as I recall them on those days, in the hope that these may stimulate more critical observations of these species.
The field in question was roughly 10 acres or more, broken by small stands of sumach and other trees. The predominant plant species visited by butterflies were Apocynum sp., Melilotus alba Desr. and Asclepias syriaca L. M. officinalis (L.) Lam. was present but I do not recall collecting anything on it. There were a few S. liparops on the Apocynum. This plant seemed to be favoured by Epargyreus clarus Cram.; a dozen or more individuals were seen or collected on this species. The S. liparops were commonest by far on the M. alba and then on the A. syriaca, which was considerably less abundant.
I have no data as to sex ratio, but I do recall observing that the hair-streaks frequented flowers (both M. alba and A. syriaca) that were approximately 15 to 20 feet from the woods' edge. The frequency of M. alba dropped off rapidly from this point towards the woods but remained high, or increased, towards the center of the field. The frequency of S. liparops, however, decidedly decreased towards the center of the field.
P. D. Syme, Forest Insect Lab., P. O. Box 490, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., CANADA